Big Brother contestant is close pal of ex-private schoolboy who stabbed teen to death – as family demand he’s thrown out

A BIG Brother contestant is close pals with an ex-private schoolboy who stabbed a fellow pupil to death. Tragic teen Yousef Makki’s family have called for Lynx Noumey, 24, to be removed from the ITV show after he appeared to celebrate his mate Josh Molnar “getting” off the killing. Lynx Makki entered the Big Brother house on Sunday Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Molnar and Lynx share a pint earlier this year Credit: Instagram/sideways.travels Yousef’s sister Jade Akoum was traumatised to see property developer Lynx, 24, going into the house on Sunday, saying: “I don’t think someone like that should have a chance at a TV career.” The schoolboy, 17, was killed in a roadside fracas involving two other pupils in March 2019 – with Molnar, then also 17, later cleared of murder and manslaughter. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! He successfully argued in court he had acted in self defence before serving just 16 months in custody for carrying a knife in public and perverting the course of justice – but during a later inquest said he was nolonger sure who pulled a blade on who. Soon after the trial concluded, Lynx posted on Instagram saying: “He’s only gone and got off with it” together with an applauding emojiand his initials “J.M.” Yousef Makki, 17, was stabbed to death in 2019 Credit: PA Yousef Makki’s sister, Jade Akoum and her husband Mazen, pictured before his inquest in November 2021 Credit: MEN Media Molnar and Lynx remain friends and earlier this year were seenenjoying pints of Guinness together. In a statement, Yousef’s family said: “We are deeply distressed that someone who is a close friend of the person responsible for the death of our beloved brother, Yousef Makki, is currently being given a platform on Big Brother. “Yousef was just 17 years old when his life was taken. His death devastated our family and changed our lives forever. “We have spent years living with the consequences of what happened to him, while continuing to fight for truth, accountability and justice. Most read in TV Joshua Molnar was acquitted of murder and manslaughter Credit: PA Yousef’s mum Debbie Makki died in 2020 Credit: PA “What makes this situation particularly painful is that this contestant is not simply someone with a distant connection to the case. “He is a close friend of the person who killed our brother.” They added they were sent social media posts in 2019 in which Lynx “appeared to boast” about Molnar having “got away with murder”. “We are therefore asking ITV and the Big Brother production team to urgently investigate this material and the contestant’s conduct,” they added. Yousef Makki's family's full statement We are deeply distressed that someone who is a close friend of the person responsible for the death of our beloved brother, Yousef Makki, is currently being given a platform on Big Brother. Yousef was just 17 years old when his life was taken. His death devastated our family and changed our lives forever. We have spent years living with the consequences of what happened to him, while continuing to fight for truth, accountability and justice. What makes this situation particularly painful is that this contestant is not simply someone with a distant connection to the case. He is a close friend of the person who killed our brother. We had been sent social-media posts in 2019 in which he appeared to boast about Josh having “got away with murder”. We find this deeply offensive and profoundly distressing as a family who have had to live with the loss of Yousef every single day. We are therefore asking ITV and the Big Brother production team to urgently investigate this material and the contestant’s conduct. We believe that appearing on a programme watched by millions provides an enormous public platform. That platform comes with responsibility. We do not believe that behaviour which appears to mock, celebrate or trivialise the circumstances surrounding a 17-year-old’s death should simply be ignored when deciding whether someone is suitable to remain in the Big Brother house. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking ITV to look at the evidence, listen to the family of the young man who lost his life, and make a responsible decision. We are calling on ITV and Big Brother to remove him from the programme. Yousef was not just a storyline. He was not a headline. He was my little brother. He should be remembered for the life he had and the person he was — not reduced to a subject for someone connected to his killer to boast about. We hope that ITV will do the right thing, investigate what has been brought to their attention and recognise the immense hurt this situation is causing to my family. The altercation occurred in Hale Barns, Cheshire, on March 2, 2019. Lynx was not involved. Yousef had got into the the £13,000-a-year Manchester Grammar School on a bursary. Rich kid Molnar later appeared to change his story in an inquest that castdoubt on which of the boys had pulled a blade first. Yousef’s mum, Debbie, died age 55 in May 2020, less than a year afterthe death of her son, leaving sister Jade to continue battling forthe justice that she feels her family deserves. Her mission featured in a Channel 4 documentary Killed By A Rich Kid,which includes police camera footage from the scene of the attack inupmarket corner of Cheshire. In the cops’ video, shot from the moment they arrived, Molnar claimshe had no idea what happened to Yousef. But when the case went to court in 2019, he claimed he had acted inself defence after Yousef pulled a knife on him. Then, during an inquest in November 2021, he said he was nolonger sure who pulled a blade on who. In a post on Sunday, Jade said: “They have a contestant this year itlaunched last night called ‘Lynx’. “This person was and still is Joshua Molnar’s bestie, I wouldn’tbother bringing it to people’s attention usually but this guy is theone that made videos with Josh post acquittal ‘my man got off withmurder’ etc. “He spends a lot of time with him now too I don’t think someone likethat should have a chance at a TV career. “So pretty please don’t vote to save this guy, get him out asap. “When he’s gone let me know so I can get back to watching the show.” ITV has been approached for comment.